Coaches Dealing with crazy gym parents

[MaddieLynn]

So I've seen a lot of talk in the parent forum about CGM's, but not much here. What are some of the craziest things you've had parents say/do, and how do you deal with it as a coach?

Here are my top two:

I had a mom complain to our HC/gym owner that she wanted her daughter moved out of my class and into a different coaches class because I "wasn't pushing her hard enough".

Her daughter was barely two. No joke.

Secondly, we had a mom furious at the gym who ended up pulling her kids out of classes because her 6 year old rec daughter broke her arm on a trampoline. At HOME. No one from the gym had in any way told her to practice anything at home. She was just messing around at home on the trampoline and broke her arm and her mom was furious because we "teach them dangerous things".

I didn't really have to deal with these personally since I'm not high up on the coaching totem pole, but I'm sure the HC had an interesting time with it!

 

[Deleted member 14190]

I don't allow them to watch workouts more than a few times a month. That seriously has cut a lot of the gym drama out , and eliminated most (never all) problems. Other than that we still have CGP's , we just don't see or hear from them as often.
It's in our nature to gossip and complain so putting us together in a competitive enviornment only breeds trouble...
Dealing with each situation depends on the circumstances. But I do like your two stories!

 

[iwannacoach]

.....I didn't really have to deal with these personally since I'm not high up on the coaching totem pole.......

Another good argument for keeping a low profile. Act as though you have nothing to offer, but coach like a wonder.

I don't allow them to watch workouts more than a few times a month.

I've been in all of the "watch" situations possible. This seems to be the least stressful for the parents, and most kids once they stop waving to mom and pop.

 

[LucyTRA]

We had a parent who used to drop her child off, and say 'I want her somersaulting today'. We would then talk to her daughter who would say 'I'm terrified, I don't want to do it'. So we would work on some progressions and take off/landing work to help get her through the fear issues. Then her mum would arrive to pick her up and expect to see perfect unassisted somersaults. When that didn't happen, she would leave without paying for the session, but would still bring her back the following week! I never understood why our HC allowed her to train when she hadn't paid in months. When she eventually took her daughter out of the club (after a blazing row with HC during a training session that everybody saw) she wrote a 6 page letter to the centre manager in complaint, citing the fact that I would kiss my boyfriend when I arrived at training (we were/are both qualified coaches, but we were present to train, not to coach, and this was always OUTSIDE the doors of the hall, BEFORE the session started) as a reason for removing her kid!

 

[Deleted member 14190]

I've been in all of the "watch" situations possible. This seems to be the least stressful for the parents, and most kids once they stop waving to mom and pop.[/QUOTE]
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Not sure I get what you are saying, however constant parental viewing is never a good thing.

 

[iwannacoach]

The parents watching 1 or 2 times a month is a good policy. Watching too often can end up causing stress beginning with the parents and spreading to the kids. The last thing the kids need is mom or dad fuming over things they don't understand.